23 Gift of Memories

"James, huh? Do you know who he is?"

"No… I didn't get the chance to speak…"

Jean was taken to a provisional jail, after calming himself, he was left there until now. He was kept there for a full day and night. Having enough time to sort out his thoughts, he understood something: he was given an alibi! Being tied up and left to his uncertainty and anger, the policemen who found him firmly believed that what he had done was against his will, even thinking he could have been possibly tortured.

He had enough time to think about what he could say and what he couldn't. For starters, he couldn't mention the fact that he misled the police when talking to that lady on the phone, he had thought them something that was wrong so there was no doubt he somehow helped Charlotte.

"I only heard them talking about him before passing out."

That was true! Though he didn't say the reason for passing out.

"Then, do you know the reason as to why they contacted you?"

"… I don't."

"And she wasn't alone, I believe."

"At the start yes, once it was globally broadcasted that she was a criminal another man came."

"Hmm? And who was this man?"

Pretending to think about it, he finally said.

"I don't know, I never heard his name."

"I see, let me check then."

Saying that, the officer started to operate his terminal. After some seconds, he let Jean look at what was being displayed. There were pictures of men, hundreds of them. Looking attentively at each picture, he said at the end while frowning.

"None of these was him."

That was also true! He hadn't seen Gut's face on any of those pictures!

"Hmm, I believe then, that the man your friend was with is called Gut."

"What?"

He was startled at the mention of his name. Trying not to be so obvious about it, he wondered how the official was able to recognize Gut so fast!

"Gut, he's a highly dangerous criminal. Even if he had not done anything that heinous, he's believed to be part of groups that had done atrocious things and be part of those orchestrating it all."

"… I don't understand…"

"That's an obvious thing. Gut, he's a man who specializes in disguise. His real face is unknown, and he could be disguised as anyone." The policeman said while pointing to the list of men on his terminal. "As for the groups I mentioned, all you need to know is that the one behind them is this James. He's one of the most wanted criminals of the world."

"…!"

Jean couldn't help be frozen on the spot. Charlotte was associated with some dangerous criminals! One of the most wanted in the world!

"And now your friend is in that list."

They continued to talk for more minutes. Jean kept quiet of everything that he thought would be problematic, it wasn't just to protect her, he also needed to be clean of it all! He didn't want to be part of this dangerous thing…

"Heh, I think that'd be all mister Rosseguie… By the way, do you want to see something funny?"

"… Yes?"

"That is, to change your mood."

"… Okay." Assenting to the officer's offer, he waited to be shown that 'funny thing'.

The officer then lent him his terminal again. He was shown a picture of a man, he was tied up, sitting in a chair he found familiar. The man's head something was tied. Looking closely, he could what it was, it was a bra! Looking at the man's surroundings, he found the place the man was in kind of familiar. It looked like…

"My house…?"

"Yes."

Said the officer with a smirk.

"Then that man is…"

"You. That's how the policemen found you. Of course, they took the picture after tranquilizing you, but that's not the funny part, is it?"

"No… That, where is it?"

"Hou?"

The officer raised a brow. Jean had a face as if he was smiling and crying at the same time, something that interested greatly the officer.

"That brassiere. Where is it?"

"Though it was secured as a clue, it has no meaning to us. If you want it, we can give it to you?"

"Yes! I mean, yes, I'd like to keep it."

"Alright, I'll make sure to send it to you."

"… Thanks."

Jean smiled wryly. Though he was feeling strange, he was also happy inside. This was something Charlotte normally wouldn't do, but this was also something she would do if given the circumstances! This was a joke, a last joke she made to him!

<At least she left with a little sense of humor. That means, she won't regret what she had done and is going to keep going forward. She's always been like that, doing what she believes is right…>

Once Jean was out of the interrogation room, the officer thought while narrowed his eyes.

<He's hiding something… I believe it's nothing problematic, even so, we'd have to keep him monitored. James, huh? If that's true, then we'll have to cooperate with other countries… Sigh, so problematic.>

--

"Are you alright, Shuck?"

"!!!"

She looked at him with mixed feelings. She felt anger, sorrow, desperation, etc. She then turned down her head and bit on her lower lip with his teeth.

"… Yes… I'm, fine."

"Ha-ha, of course you are. Not. If you were, I would be scared."

"…"

"If there is something I have learned throughout all my life. It is that it does not matter what you are called, you only have one thing to care about."

Gut paused there, he was waiting for her to give him a response. Not letting him down, she asked:

"… What is it?"

"Yourself."

"…?"

Not quite understanding, she tilted her head. She looked at him with tired eyes, already exhausted of the things she had to do from now on and how it all was worse than she initially thought it would be.

"You have to know who you are, never forget your true self. Never forget what you stand up for. Never forget what you stand against. Nor your loved ones or those who mean something to you. Even if you are not called the same. Even if you are forgotten. You must never forget that one thing. Yourself."

"… Myself… Then, who am I?"

"That, I do not know. You know who you are, not I."

"… Then, who are you?"

"Me? Well, I was having some well-deserved vacations in Gercy before coming here. Such a beautiful place."

"The capital… I've only been there once."

"You will get to know it better soon. That is our next stop."

"Really…? Then, when are we leaving?" All this while, she had kept her head down, without attempting to do otherwise.

"Now."

She wasn't feeling better, but at least she had something to occupy her mind.

<Myself…>

They continued walking, however long, she wasn't aware. She was just following Gut. Once they stopped, she raised her head, looking at him.

"Where are we?"

She asked flatly without trying to look around her to understand their current whereabouts.

"You are a little to lost in thoughts, I see. We are at the train station. I am planning on getting a ticket straight to Gercy… But, do you want to go somewhere else first?"

"… I don't know… Can, can we go slowly, I need to sort out my thoughts…"

"Hmm alright, I guess it is doable. Then, we shall stop in the cities. How about we stay, say, a day in each one?"

"… Alright."

Nodding at his suggestion, she let her vision wander around. She saw policemen looking around, possibly searching for her. She realized she wasn't that scared of them, she just felt apathy.

<I'm… Fine. I just have to keep going forward. The same as I've always done."

Thinking to herself, she decided that, for now, she was going somewhere at least.

He bought their tickets to Guignon, it was only a 20 minutes train, going there wasn't on the rout to Gercy, but they could take another train that would go directly to the next city that was.

"We are departing in an hour. Meanwhile, let us eat something."

"Ok."

After eating some fast food, they sat in one of the waiting rooms. While they waited, three policemen crossed the door. Two of them started asking for everyone's ID, while the other didn't allow anyone to get in or out. One of them was promptly in front of Charlotte, she looked at Gut as if asking what to do. The man asked Gut first.

"Sir, can you show us your ID for a moment?"

"Of course, what might be the reason, if I may know?"

"We're looking for highly dangerous criminals, we appreciate your cooperation and apologize for any inconvenience."

"Oh, that is some serious thing. Please, do it fast so you can find that dangerous person soon."

He showed them his ID while showing a warm smile, his face soft as if he was an old man in his travels, without a worry in the world. Charlotte wondered why he was behaving so different from his usual self. But then thought:

<I've only known him for, what, one day? I don't know the real him.>

"Alright, mister Bartek. Can you show us this kid's ID? We need to follow the procedure, I'm sure you understand."

"But of course, anything to be of help. Shuck, hurry it up."

"Eh, oh, yes."

She felt at a loss with this new persona of Gut's. Taking her new ID from a wallet she received not long ago, she handed it officer. After inspecting it, He returned it and with a smile, he said:

"Ok, little boy, be careful, these days there are dangerous people going around."

"Please, be a little more prudent with the kid, he is easily scared of things."

"Hahaha, sorry. Have a nice ride."

Waving his hands, the officer went on to continue doing his job. After asking everyone present, the officers went out of the waiting room.

"You were so different…"

"It is a tick of the job. You will get used to it."

Returning to the usual way of speaking, Gut answered her. She sighed again and asked.

"Hey, can I see your ID?"

"Interested? Of course, you can. It's similar the one you just showed them."

Looking at it, it was indeed no different than the one she had. The real one, that is. She then understood what he meant.

<My fake one…? Then this one is fake. Sigh, so his fake name is Xavier Bartek. Good to know, I guess.>

She gave back the fake ID and then sat down staring blankly at the floor while waiting. When the time was right, they went to the boarding platform and entered the train, finally leaving the city. Arriving almost immediately, they went out of the train station.

"What do you want to do, Shuck?"

"… Don't call me like that."

"Then, how shall I call you? Mister Stellar maybe?"

"… Whatever, call me however you like."

"Ha-ha-ha. Will do. Then, Shucks, answer me, where to go now?"

Resigning herself, she wondered where to go. Last time she was here was a year ago. She came here to a conference about startups, she wasn't a bit interested in it, but Dordives and Ellen were. They made it a trip to relax in this city. Guignon was smaller than Monnimoyas, having around its population, even so, it was still one of the biggest in the area.

She had argued with a professor she was under before. He always looked down on others, thinking that the only possible explanation to the universe is the one he believed in. That particular time, they were talking about the meaning of dark matter for the universe.

<Look at me now. A criminal because of one… At least I can make him shut now. My theory worked alright. Heh.>

Feeling a little better about her discoveries, she smiled a little bit.

"Let's go to the Timbestair University."

"That expression suits you more. Keep it going strong."

Having her mood dampened, she glared at him.

"Really, let me be…"

"Ha-ha-ha. Let us go then. Why there, though?"

"I went there a year ago with some friends. I know that place a little bit, it was such a good time…"

While she was reminiscing the past, he patted her shoulder and motioned for her to start walking.

<Really. Men are such insensitives fools.>

When they arrived to the campus, they were asked their IDs and given a guest's pass. Normally, they wouldn't be allowed entry to the University without there being events. But Gut convinced the guard that he was showing the kid the University he was going to after he graduated school.

"Such bad security, heh."

Charlotte was starting to get back her humor again. She still had a somber expression but, it was way better than being blankly staring at the ground all the time.

While walking in the campus, she saw many students coming and going to their classes, and talking between them. She remembered then the time she spent in the colleges she had went to. Even if she never finished one at all, it was still a fond memory of hers. The people she met and how they laughed together for a little bit. How they argued about stupid things.

<Really, how unaware do we have to be to smile like that, when everything is hanging from nothing and can fuck itself at any given moment.>

They continued walking. Stopping from time to time to see a monument, a fountain, a… anything of interest to them, mostly hers.

When they had walked for an hour, she saw a poster beside the auditorium.

<What a joke. A conference at this time…>

The professor she had fought before was giving a conference today! On black matter at that!

<There shouldn't be that many people interested in it, it should be fine.>

"Hey, wanna go?"

She asked the man besides her.

"I am not much of a science person. Why, though."

"I just wanna see an old acquaintance of mine."

Raising an eyebrow, Gut nodded. This was good for her troubled mind anyway. From what he was told, she was needed to continue an experiment of James, having her mind fully focused in the important things would allow that experiment to be a success.

Once they entered the auditorium, they sat on the back row. When they entered, they were stared by the man keeping the door. Only getting a warning of not dozing off inside as that would be disrespectful.

It was almost over when they entered. The professor was giving his conclusions on his findings. Looking at the graph behind him, she could at least guess it was about a new technique for finding dark matter.

Sighing at the lost chance to know something new, she waited for it all to finish. She was at least respectful. Some people asked things she didn't care about and it was reaching its closing time. She raised her hand when she thought of something.

When the light showered her, she was momentarily frozen. She had done so without much thought.

<W-what if he recognizes me…>

She felt an arm on her shoulder, looking at her side, she saw him nodding. Taking a deep breath, she asked.

"What are the speculated applications of dark matter?"

This was something she was seriously curious about. After all, all she had were also her own guesses.

Being at a lost, the professor remained silent for a moment, he looked at her attentively. The man controlling the light realized his mistake, he had lighted a boy! A young boy who he thought wasn't even a student!

"T-that's a question I was asked once by a lady quite similar to you."

"!!!"

<Right! We discussed about it before! At the end we agreed on not knowing exactly what was possible but that there should be uncountable possibilities! … Does it mean, he recognized me, from so far…?!>